Grado is an island that faces south: its beach catches the sun from morning to evening, which is why it has always been called the Sun Island. Set between the Adriatic and a great lagoon, it is at once a spa town, a fishing harbour and a small early-Christian gem, with an old town of narrow lanes reminiscent of Venice. In 2026 it confirmed its Blue Flag along with the Green Flag for child-friendly beaches, and it has managed to stay on a human scale. Here you’ll find where to stay best, with the small places we choose one by one, never by hearsay.
The beauty of Grado is that it packs different worlds into a small space. There’s the island itself, with the old town and the long serviced beach; there’s the lagoon behind it, with its casoni (fishermen’s huts), the shrine-island of Barbana and fishing villages like Marano; and, a few kilometres inland, there’s Aquileia, one of Italy’s most important Roman and early-Christian sites, a UNESCO World Heritage listing.
Where to stay depends on what you want at the centre of the holiday: Grado for the sea, the beach and the lanes of the centre; Aquileia to pair the sea with great history, in a quiet village; Marano Lagunare for the lagoon, nature and seafood, away from the crowds. Let’s look at the three areas, one by one, with the places we recommend in each.
Grado, the old town and the Sun Island
The heart of Grado is its island: the old town and the beach almost touch, separated by a few hundred metres. The old town is a weave of lanes and little squares around the Basilica of Sant’Eufemia, a splendid 6th-century church with early-Christian mosaics and a bell tower rising over the island. A couple of steps away, the long serviced beach, with fine sand, shallow water and the marine spa facing the sea.
Staying in the centre is the most practical choice: you have the sea, the lanes, the fish restaurants and the boats to the lagoon all within walking distance. Worth keeping in mind:
- All on foot: beach, old town and seafront promenade a few minutes away.
- Child-friendly: fine sand, shallow seabed and a beach awarded the Green Flag.
- By bike: Grado is a designated cycling town, with the path leading towards Aquileia and the lagoon.
The addresses we choose in Grado:
Meublè Tripoli
A hotel facing Riva Garibaldi, on the seafront right by the old town, with the harbour and the lanes below. The location is ideal for enjoying Grado on foot, between the beach and the alleys. Suited to those who want the heart of the island and the convenience of having everything around, from the sea to the fish restaurants.
Suite & Spa Mirabel
Suites with a kitchenette and a wellness area on Via Verdi, for those who want to pair the sea with relaxation while staying central. The formula with spa and your own kitchen gives independence and pampering at once, with the beach a few minutes away. Ideal for a couple or anyone after a beach holiday with a touch of wellbeing.
Casa di Mirea
A well-kept bed and breakfast on Via del Tintoretto, within the fabric of the centre, a couple of steps from the beach and the lanes. The family welcome and the quiet-but-central position make it handy for a holiday on foot. Perfect for those who want a cosy address from which to explore Grado without a care.
Laura e Christian – Rooms
Welcoming rooms on Via Leopardi, run with care by people who know the island, a short distance from the centre and the beach. A simple, hospitable address, the kind that makes you feel at home. Suited to those after the warmth of a family-run place as a base for enjoying Grado at a slow pace.
From the centre you can also catch the boats to the lagoon and to the shrine-island of Barbana, a place of boat trips and a historic votive procession. All the properties on the island: all hotels in Grado →
Aquileia, the sea with UNESCO history
A few kilometres inland, between Grado and the mainland, Aquileia is one of Italy’s most important archaeological sites: it was one of the great cities of the Roman Empire, and today its forum, the remains of the river port and above all the Basilica with the largest early-Christian mosaic floor in the West earn it UNESCO recognition. It’s a small, quiet village set in the countryside.
Sleeping in Aquileia makes sense for those who want to pair Grado’s sea — about ten minutes’ drive away — with great history, in a quiet setting and often at gentler prices. The two places we recommend:
Casa Delneri Boutique Hotel
A tastefully done guest house in the centre of Aquileia, adults only, a couple of steps from the Basilica and the archaeological area. The atmosphere is intimate and suited to a couple’s escape between history and sea. Ideal for visiting the mosaics in the morning and reaching Grado’s beach in the afternoon.
Ca’ Marisa Aquileia
A holiday home with space and its own kitchen in the village of Aquileia, handy for families and stays of a few days. The independence of a house a couple of steps from the UNESCO monuments, with the countryside around and the sea nearby. Perfect for a quiet base from which to explore the archaeological site, the lagoon and the beach.
Marano Lagunare and the lagoon
West of Grado, on the other side of the lagoon, Marano Lagunare is an old fishing village with a Venetian flavour, with its harbour, thousand-year-old tower and huddled lanes. It’s the starting point for exploring the nature reserves of the lagoon — Valle Canal Novo and the Foci dello Stella — among huts, water birds and silence, and for tasting lagoon fish in the local trattorie.
It’s the choice for those who love nature and authenticity more than beach life: here you sleep in the quiet and reach the sea with a short trip. The two places we recommend:
Onda Marina B&B Superior
A well-kept bed and breakfast in the heart of Marano Lagunare, among the lanes of the fishing village, a few steps from the harbour. The attentive welcome and authentic atmosphere make it an ideal base for those after the real lagoon. Perfect for exploring the nature reserves and dining on freshly caught fish.
Ae masanete
A bed and breakfast whose name is already a lagoon dish, on Via Venezia, in the centre of the village. A simple, genuine address, steeped in the atmosphere of Marano, between harbour and reserves. Suited to those who want to experience the lagoon from within, with nature and good food within reach.
When to go
Grado is at its best in the warm season, but it has an edge over many beaches. The core beach season runs from June to September, with July and August at the peak of services and visitors; June and September remain ideal for enjoying the sea more calmly, while the island’s southern exposure brings sun and light for longer. Spring and autumn are perfect for the spa, the old town and the lagoon, when the air is mild and the pace is slow.
One of Grado’s advantages is precisely that it doesn’t live on the beach alone: the basilicas, the marine spa and the lagoon trips make it enjoyable even outside the hottest months. In any period it’s worth checking ahead the opening of beach clubs, the spa and boat trips, which follow the season.
How to get there
Grado is easily reached by car from the A4 motorway, taking the Palmanova or Villesse exit and then the road that crosses Aquileia to the island, linked to the mainland by a long causeway. By train the reference station is Cervignano-Aquileia-Grado, on the Venice-Trieste line, connected to Grado by scheduled buses; by air the Trieste-FVG airport at Ronchi dei Legionari is about forty minutes away.
On the spot you get around very well on foot and by bike: Grado is a designated cycling town and a fine path links the island to Aquileia and the lagoon. For the full picture on the airport, trains and roads of the region: how to get to Friuli-Venezia Giulia. On the same coast, a little to the west, lies the region’s other great beach: Lignano Sabbiadoro.
This guide is part of our grand tour of the region: discover all the destinations and areas in Where to Stay in Friuli-Venezia Giulia.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to the questions we’re asked most about where to stay in Grado.
Which is the best area to stay in Grado?
For the sea and the lanes, the island’s old town is the most convenient choice: beach, alleys, restaurants and the boats to the lagoon are all on foot. Those who want to pair the sea with great history choose nearby Aquileia, quiet and with its UNESCO mosaics; those who love nature, the lagoon and seafood sleep in Marano Lagunare, more secluded.
Is Grado suitable for families with children?
Yes, very much so. The beach is fine sand with a shallow seabed, faces south and has been awarded both the Blue Flag and the Green Flag for child-friendly beaches. The centre is compact and pedestrian, with everything within walking distance, and the lagoon offers easy trips and excursions for younger ones too.
Is Grado a good base for visiting Aquileia?
Absolutely. Aquileia is about ten minutes away by car or by bike along the cycle path, so from Grado you can visit it easily in a day. Alternatively you can sleep in Aquileia itself to be a couple of steps from the Basilica and the archaeological area, reaching Grado’s beach in the afternoon: it depends whether you put the sea or the history first.
What is there to see in Grado besides the beach?
The old town with the Basilica of Sant’Eufemia and its early-Christian mosaics, the marine spa, and above all the lagoon: boat trips to the casoni and to the shrine-island of Barbana. Not far away are Aquileia with its UNESCO treasures and the fishing village of Marano Lagunare, with its nature reserves. Grado is a seaside destination that has much more besides.
How do you reach Grado without a car?
By train you arrive at Cervignano-Aquileia-Grado station, on the Venice-Trieste line, from which scheduled buses connect the island. The Trieste-FVG airport is about forty minutes away. On the spot you get around very well on foot and by bike, with the cycle path linking Grado to Aquileia and the lagoon.
